Preventing Random Access Based on Outdated System Information in a Wireless Communication System

ABSTRACT

A method for preventing random access by a mobile station with outdated system information including receiving system information earlier than a time at which the system information is effective, determining that a current time is within a new access blocking offset before the time at which the system information is effective, and delaying random access at least until the time at which the system information is effective.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications and, more specifically, to preventing random access in a wireless communication system that provides updated system information messages, network entities, user terminals and corresponding methods.

System information in Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Universal Mobile Terrestrial System (UMTS) Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems consists of parameters needed by a wireless communication mobile station, hereafter also referred to as user equipment (UE), for correct operation. This information is grouped into different information blocks including a Master Information Block (MIB) and several System Information Blocks (SIB). Generally, UEs are expected to use the currently valid system information set at all times. To manage changes of system information, the notion of a modification period is used. When the network needs to change a system information parameter, a change indication is first transmitted for a duration known as a modification period. The actual changed system information is transmitted in the next modification period. This framework ensures that a UE in idle mode or in connected mode gets an indication of the system information change, and subsequently reads the changed system information. However, if a system information change occurs when a UE is attempting to establish a connection, UE may use old system information.

Potential problem scenarios are discussed below where the system information change period and RRC connection establishment overlap. The first scenario resulted from a discussion of 3GPP technical document R2-082942.

In FIG. 1, a UE receives an SI change indication and a page at the same time. Alternatively, a similar problem arises if the UE decides to originate very shortly after receiving a SI change indication. The ensuing RACH attempts cross the modification period boundary and because of the time it takes to read system information, a UE RACH attempt that occurs after the modification period boundary use old system information. This may be problematic as the PHICH duration or resource may have changed leading to failure after the UE enters connected mode. The same problem results, though less frequently, from: a change of other MIB parameters; cell barring status may have changed; Changes in TDD, UL/DL split; any changes in the RACH parameters (e.g., root sequence, PRACH resources, preamble split, RA response window, preamble_trans_max, . . . ) leading to failed RACH attempts and interference to other UEs; access class barring may have been switched on which UE would be violating.

In FIG. 2, a UE originates in a modification period where the SI is being modified, but the origination is started before the UE's paging occasion, so the UE is unaware of the SI change at the time of origination. This scenario requires the UE to continue monitoring paging for the SI change indication, which is contrary to Proposal 1 of 3GPP technical document R2-082942. Assuming that the UE receives the SI change indication, the UE still cannot receive the changed SI and all the problems mentioned above are possible.

In FIG. 3, a UE interrupts the RACH attempts when the modification period boundary is reached, and the UE reads the new SI, and then restarts the RACH attempts.

-   1. At the modification period boundary UE suspends T300 and starts     reading MIB, SIB1, SIB2. -   2. After modification period boundary, UE does not RACH until     reading MIB, SIB1, SIB2. -   3. After modification period boundary, UE does not receive/act on     RACH response until RACH is sent after reading MIB, SIB1, SIB2 (This     is to avoid the following situation: UE sends RACH before     modification period boundary, receives RACH response with UL grant     after modification period boundary. UE should not send mesg 3 before     reading SI, but the UL grant is not valid for that long. So the UE     has to simply ignore the RACH response. The UE sends the RACH again     after reading MIB, SIB1, SIB2.) -   4. UE restarts T300 and continues RACH procedure after reading MIB,     SIB1 & SIB2.     The problem with this solution is that each time there is a SI     change no UE can perform any UL transmissions until reading the SI.     Reading SI can take more than a second and ˜300 ms for the most     critical information. This duration then becomes a blackout period     for the system resulting in wasted capacity and delay to various     applications in UE. This problem becomes particularly acute when SI     is changed relatively frequently for load management purposes during     peak hours.

The various aspects, features and advantages of the disclosure will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description thereof with the accompanying drawings described below. The drawings may have been simplified for clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a first prior art system access process time line.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second prior art system access process time line.

FIG. 3 illustrates a third prior art system access process time line.

FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth system access process time line.

FIG. 5 illustrates a fifth system access process time line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Two embodiments are provided that address the problem use of old system information without causing a blackout period.

FIG. 4 illustrates an effective period offset approach. In the first embodiment the new MIB, SIB1 & SIB2 are transmitted “Offset of Effective Period” before the modification period where the new SI is effective. After time “New Access blocking offset” prior to the new SI effective period, the UE RRC is disallowed from starting access procedure. Previously started accesses are allowed to continue. If a UE RRC starts a new access after “New Access blocking offset” and then sees an SI change indication, then the UE aborts its access attempt. UEs that enter the cell in the interval when new SI is transmitted before it is effective wait until the effective time before accessing. Such a UE reads SI (at least MIB, SIB1, SIB2) to get modification period boundary and “Offset of Effective Period”. It then checks for a SI change indication. If an SI change is being indicated, the UE waits at least until the SI effective period before new SI is used.

FIG. 5 illustrates an offset between the modification period and SI effective period approach. In this embodiment, an offset is introduced between the modification period and the SI effective period (SI effective period is later than modification period by “Offset of effective period”). After time “New Access blocking offset” prior to the new SI effective period, UE RRC is disallowed from starting access procedure. Previously started accesses are allowed to continue. A 1 bit “SI-changing” indication is included in the MIB. This is turned on in the first modification period where new SI is transmitted. UEs that enter the cell in the interval when new SI is transmitted before it is effective wait until the effective time before accessing. Such a UE reads MIB and finds the “SI changing” indication to be on. It then reads SIB1 (and SIB2) to get modification period and “Offset of effective period”, determines if it is within “Offset of effective period” prior to the next SI effective period. If it is, it waits at least until the SI effective period before using the new system information.

While the present disclosure and the best modes thereof have been described in a manner establishing possession and enabling those of ordinary skill to make and use the same, it will be understood and appreciated that there are equivalents to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein and that modifications and variations may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventions, which are to be limited not by the exemplary embodiments but by the appended claims. 

1. A method in a wireless communication mobile station for preventing random access with outdated system information, the method comprising: receiving, at the mobile station, system information earlier than a time at which the system information is effective; determining that a current time is within a new access blocking offset before the time at which the system information is effective; and delaying random access at least until the time at which the system information is effective.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the time at which the system information is effective coincides with a time of start of a modification period.
 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the time at which the system information is effective is later than a time of start of a modification period.
 4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving, from the base station, modified system information wherein a duration by which the reception of the modified system information precedes the time at which the system information is effective is received from a base station.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that a current time is within a new access blocking offset before the time at which the system information is effective includes determining that a current time is prior to the new access blocking offset before the time at which the system information is effective, and continuing random access using the system information valid at the current time.
 6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining that the received system information is modified system information.
 7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving a system information changing indication.
 8. A method in a wireless communication base station, the method comprising: transmitting, from the base station, modified system information earlier than a time at which the modified system information is effective, and indicating to a mobile station that start of an access attempt is not allowed until after a new access blocking offset prior to a system information effective period.
 9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the time at which the modified system information is effective coincides with a time of start of a modification period.
 10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the time at which the system information is effective is later than a start of a modification period.
 11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the indicating to the mobile station that start of an access attempt is not allowed until after a new access blocking offset prior to a system information effective period includes transmission, from the base station, of the new access blocking offset by the base station.
 12. The method according to claim 8 further comprising transmitting, from the base station, a system information change indication concurrently with transmission of the modified system information.
 13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the modified system information further includes for a finite duration a system information changing indication.
 14. The method according to claim 8 wherein the duration by which the transmission of the modified system information precedes the time at which the modified system information is effective is transmitted by the base station.
 15. A wireless communication device comprising a transceiver; a controller coupled to the transceiver, the controller configured to control the wireless communication device to receive system information, the controller configured to decode the system information and to obtain modified system information prior to a time at which the modified system information is effective, the controller configured to obtain a system information change indication, the controller configured to indicate that a connection establishment attempt should be delayed when a connection establishment attempt could result in access attempts using outdated system information.
 16. The wireless communication device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to determine that a connection establishment attempt could result in access attempts using outdated system information by determining that a current time is less than a new access blocking offset prior to a next system information effective time.
 17. The wireless communication device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to indicate that reselection has occurred.
 18. The wireless communication device according to claim 15, the controller is configured to determine that the system information transmitted by the base station is effective at a later time and to indicate that a connection establishment attempt should be delayed until the systems information is effective.
 19. The wireless communication device according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to determine if the system information is effective at a later time by determining that the current time is within an offset of an effective period prior to a time at which the system information is effective, and receiving a system information change indication on the paging channel.
 20. The wireless communication device according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to determine if the system information is effective at a later time by determining that the current time is within an Offset of Effective period prior to a time at which the system information is effective, and the controller is configured to decode a system information changing indication from the system information. 